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SUNLESS ASHLEY LAABS EDITOR, SMART TAN MAGAZINE Sunless tanning exploded onto the scene in many tanning salons when the craze garnered popularity in the 90s, but it's evident that this service has come a long way since. Sunless has evolved from the infamous, streaky tans of its infancy into a genre of tanning that stands on its own merit. Yet, there are so many salons who aren't using spray tanning to its fullest potential. Businesses that don't include some sort of sunless are missing a consumer base that's exponentially larger than their UV base; others are missing the details that can pull extra revenue from the equipment they already have. As we move into the busiest part of the year, put your salon in a position to cul- tivate a stellar sunless experience for your clients. Veterans of the sunless game weigh in on where the market is going and how to put your sales in high gear. The Evolution of Sunless Anyone who has tried sunless tanning in the past few years has witnessed the undeniable improvement in technology and performance. Customers once com- plained about the uneven, orange color they received from cold booths. Now, they can enjoy luxurious warmth and skin treatments that enhance their all-over color. These improvements have been successful in creating an upward trend. Color that fades evenly and promotes improved skin texture has made a great impres- sion on clients who have given sunless a second chance. In fact, this growth is multi-faceted: A broader base of people is taking advantage of these services, but trends also indicate that many are using it routinely. "Sunless is more than a one-time occur- rence, it's part of a lifestyle. A lot of work has been done to focus on the user experi- ence for better results and now they want to come back to enjoy it more often," says Scott Thomason, CEO of Sunless Inc. As these improvements change the way clients approach spray tanning, it's also important for salons to reevaluate suc- cess. Whereas the number of people you sprayed may have been a good deter- minant in the past, it is becoming equally important to consider how many people come back repeatedly. "You can judge a good salon by how many of their clients come back," says Norvell Skin Solutions CEO Rick Norvell. "If you see they are coming back, you must be doing something right. If not, you bet- ter figure out what's going on." The Role of Sunless in Tanning These growth trends in the sunless market mean good news for tanning salons. As businesses that are always trying new things to supplement their UV offerings, indoor tanning salons have so much to gain by adding some form of spray tan- ning to the menu: You can add a service with a strong growth pattern, widespread familiarity, and no controversy. Best of all, it falls under the umbrella of tanning, so you can lend even more credibility to your expertise on giving great color. "It doesn't take away from what you have," says Kim Carrasco, vice president of cus- tomer service at Sunless Inc. "We consider tanning as anything that provides color to the skin, and when there are more options to do that, it helps reduce all the negativity about tanning." Especially as the political landscape of indoor tanning changes, it is more crucial than ever to open your business up to sun- less alternatives. Give yourself a source of revenue that is untapped by the Tan Tax and unaffected by teen tan bans. Sunless tanning can bridge that gap, and it's also an excellent way to gain the business of clients with Skin Type 1, who you might have to turn away otherwise. The sophistication of current sunless tanning has also developed a new type of customer: the professional sunless tanner. As clients with particular tastes who are looking to maintain sunless color through regular ses- sions, professional sunless tanners look for salons with the equipment, retail and staff to meet their specific needs. "They are more demanding – they want specialized prod- ucts to maintain their sessions. That is a great standard for us to aspire to," says Carrasco. For decades, the industry has catered to developing luxury UV tanning. The matu- ration of the sunless market is creating a similar demand for luxury, and it's bring- ing in the clients with money to spare. "Sunless customers are usually willing to spend more per session because their tan lasts about a week. They have a little more disposable income and are looking for a way to save time to keep their color," says Rick Austin, owner of Always Tan in Texas. "Tanning is a luxury, so that's exactly who you want in your salon: people who want to pamper themselves." Before the 20th Century, pale skin was considered all the rage. It was a symbol of nobility by living a luxurious, leisurely indoor life. Many nobles even went as far as to use poisonous whiteners to create pale skin. It wasn't until the 1920s, when Coco Chanel returned from a Mediterranean cruise, that tanned skin was deemed a beautiful look. Some even credit Chanel with the "invention" of sunbathing. And because these clients are coming in to get a tan, sunless can be the gate- way to acquiring new UV customers. In surveys conducted by Sunless Inc., salons consistently report that this helps sell UV packages to first-time sunless visitors. But the most important reason to offer sun- less is just so you don't have to say "no" to a client. The fact is that no salon wants to lose business, yet so many are allow- ing potential revenue to slip through their fingers by turning down the sunless crowd. SmartTan.com [ SMART TAN MAGAZINE 76